Wyoming

California, Arizona

There are few better ways to experience authentic USA food than to sample the cafes and diners along iconic Route 66.

Point your car east on this historic byway as you head from Los Angeles, California to the majestic Grand Canyon in Arizona. You’ll be richly rewarded by beautiful scenery and plenty of U.S. comfort food along the way.

The Albright, Santa Monica

Seafood lovers should start at The Albright on the sunny Santa Monica Pier. In this renovated seafood shack, you’ll savor several varieties of fresh oysters and can take your pick of live crab and lobster from the saltwater tank. Make new friends at the communal tables while sipping craft beers.

Experience

Head about two hours’ northeast to Calico Ghost Town, California, home of the Calico House Restaurant. The restaurant, which looks like it could be the backdrop of an Old Western movie, is famous for its smoked meats and fresh-baked breads (be sure to save room for the homemade pastries too!) Get some fresh air after dinner while sitting on the rocking chairs on the veranda outside the restaurant.

Roy’s Motel, Cafe and Gas Station in Amboy, California – with its postcard-perfect neon sign and mid-century architecture – is the centerpiece of this ghost town. Stop for a Route 66 root beer to beat the desert heat.

Continue on to Kingman, Arizona, to step back in time at Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner. Start your meal with a rich root beer float before enjoying the all-day breakfast menu or a plate of chicken-fried steak. Be sure to drop some coins in the jukebox and be on the look-out for the classic car shows that often take place here. It doesn’t get more authentic than this.

Drive an hour east to Seligman to experience the roadside attraction that is Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In. Snap some pictures by the classic cars and be ready to fill up with American favorites like milkshakes, burgers and fries. The quirky, neon-lit restaurant first opened in 1953 and is still home to the attention-grabbing, festooned 1936 Chevy the owners parked there to drum up business.

The exterior of Delgadillo’s Snow Cap Drive-In announcing its specialties to passersby

Continue your Route 66 road-trip adventure at Rod’s Steak House in Williams, Arizona. The 70-year-old restaurant, known for its charred steak and prime rib, even boasts a die-cut menu that’s shaped like a steer. The restaurant, just 60 miles south of the Grand Canyon, also sells a range of collectables featuring Rod’s emblematic steer.

Avis Car Rental is your perfect road trip partner. Grab your rental car at LAX and head east to experience Route 66 in comfort and style, and on your own schedule. Always select a designated driver when you’re driving and dining.